SPOILERS: John Illsley will publish a book about Dire Straits

[quizzaciously]

I think John is the happies guy in the world because he has a lot of perks Mark has, e.g. moneys from DS days, passive income, no need to compose anything and yet no that level of being "famous" to be bothered everywhere. Truly the luckiest guy on Earth right there!

[qjamesfloyd]

He does still release albums, without pressure. Plus, he owns a pub

[Jules]

Well, he's not so millionaire as MK but close, because when DS started, they made various companies with the name DS, and the members of those companies were MK, John and Ed Bicknell. Ed resigned on 1998, so everything that the DS trademark obtains, it goes to MK and John, without having to do anything at all.

Obviously MK gets more money as he has publishing companies apart dealing with copyrights for the lyrics, thats why MK is richer than John.

All the rest of DS members are out from those companies, so they don't get any of that money, except if their contracts with the DS companies stablised anything about it, but that would be a small percentage anyway. As far as I recall, the DS companies stablished that both MK and JI have "more than the 25% and less of the 50%" which is weird.

All that information is public:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01334993

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/01399705

[dustyvalentino]

MK will make a lot more than John because of the publishing.

But John seems like a sensible guy and I’m sure he invested wisely.

[Jules]

MK will make a lot more than John because of the publishing.

But John seems like a sensible guy and I’m sure he invested wisely.

Yes, I'm sure that John doesn't need to anything for living, all that he does is just for having something to do, owning the pub, painting, the exhibitions of their paintings, his records and his live shows, and now his book. And also have fun.

As he kind of says in the book, it's hard to pass from being a rock star moving around the world to be at home with nothing to do.

He's just keep himself busy.

[Banjo99uk]

Many years ago John used to make The Times rich list. MK was about £60 million and JI was about £20 million. I know they are wildy inaccurate but I’m sure he is minted.

[superval99]

Just finished reading John's book and I enjoyed it immensely.       

[Robson]

I don't know if I want to know the details because I will have the book on December 6th but there are some surprising moments?

[KnopfleRick]

And for me it will be a christmas present, so I'll have to wait a little longer. I can't wait. 

[Robson]

And for me it will be a christmas present, so I'll have to wait a little longer. I can't wait. 

  Me too.

[Knopflerfan]

And for me it will be a christmas present, so I'll have to wait a little longer. I can't wait. 

Seems a few of us are getting Knopfler related goodies for Christmas!!

[Knopflerfan]

Many years ago John used to make The Times rich list. MK was about £60 million and JI was about £20 million. I know they are wildy inaccurate but I’m sure he is minted.

Absolutely no doubt that they are both 'comfortable'!!

[Knopflerfan]

He does still release albums, without pressure. Plus, he owns a pub

And part owns two other hotels too....

[Eddie Fox]

Being the easygoing guy John is he probably apologized to Alan because he didn’t want to get himself into that kind of discussion - a polite ‘woteva’… Mark said it was his idea and John said it was Mark’s idea. The story has been told a thousand times over the years and only now, 36 years later, Alan has the urge to claim his creation? I stopped taking him seriously when I read on his website he was one of the most influential musicians of the 1980’s or something along those lines. I mean, how egocentric is that.

[quizzaciously]

Being the easygoing guy John is he probably apologized to Alan because he didn’t want to get himself into that kind of discussion - a polite ‘woteva’… Mark said it was his idea and John said it was Mark’s idea. The story has been told a thousand times over the years and only now, 36 years later, Alan has the urge to claim his creation? I stopped taking him seriously when I read on his website he was one of the most influential musicians of the 1980’s or something along those lines. I mean, how egocentric is that.

It's really strange to me somebody is really trying to argue in this environment. I mean MK's environment. I'm sure if that was that epic of a suggestion like Alan think it is, everybody would remember it like this. Nobody says the cover for Brothers In Arms album was Mark's idea or something. Or even the name Dire Straits wasn't Mark's idea either. Where it's known for sure nobody makes such mistakes, and here goes AC and makes people like John Illsley apologize, for what probably was a spontaneous idea and could be born at any time at that moment. I'd say, Alan, next time you will work with Dire Straits on a big hit, make sure your suggestions will be universally acclaimed.